The cries of the seagulls circling my deck had me leaning my head back with a sigh. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of the city this week. It’s been almost twelve days since I’ve last seen Chloe and Tanner. Technically, it’s been 287 hours and 35 minutes, but who's counting?

Thinking back over the last ninety days had me second-guessing my entire life up until this point. I rested my hands on the railing and stared out into the Atlantic. Life really threw me one hell of a curveball, both professionally and personally.

Saying goodbye to them at the airport was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

My life and my career were in New York, but my heart was here in South Carolina with them. How the hell was I supposed to choose?

Could I really walk away from the company that my father built? Give up his entire life’s work for the first woman I fell in love with? It was a crazy notion, so why was I even thinking about it?

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on my front door. I glanced at my watch and noticed that Chloe was early. Not that I was complaining because I missed the shit out of that woman.

I ran through the house practically racing to the door, anticipating the gorgeous girl on the other side. When I opened the door, there was indeed a gorgeous girl standing on my front step. It just wasn’t “my” girl.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, caught off guard by seeing my best friend, Emily standing in the same spot that should have been Chloe. Emily, Cassie and I went to college together. Three of us were always tight, until they both met their husbands and decided to start their own families.

“Well, that’s not the greeting I was expecting,” Emily replied with her husband Chase pressed up against her back, holding little Mason in his arms.

My eyes slid to Chase and Mason, then back to Emily. “You know I’m always happy to see you guys. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

Emily narrowed her eyes slightly. “Really? Are you sure you weren’t expecting somebody else?”

Busted!

There was a reason this girl was my best friend. She knew me better than anybody else. My mouth stretched into a grin. “Are you just going to stand there and give me shit, or are you going to get your ass over and give me a hug?”

“Hey!” Chase scolded as he covered little Mason’s ears. “Watch your language around my son.”

I angled my head to a perfectly content Mason, sleeping with his cheek resting against his father’s chest. “I hate to break the news to you, pal, but he doesn’t understand English yet.”

Chase shot me that look that said, don’t fuck with me. I ran my hand through my hair. Shit. Emily wasn’t kidding when she said that Chase was a controlling nutjob when it came to his kid. It really wasn’t surprising because the dude could be a little intense.

Emily rushed into my arms and gave me a hug that nearly squeezed the oxygen out of my body. “I have missed you so much.”

I kissed the top of her hair. Her scent was familiar, and her gentle touch made me forget my worries for a brief moment. She wasn’t just my friend; she was my family. I may have been an only child, but Emily was the sister I never had. Cassie and I were close, just not as close as Emily and I.

When she moved to Florida with Chase, it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. Yet seeing how happy she was with her new life made me proud. “I missed you too.”

“What, no love for me?” Chase smirked, breezing past me into the house.

“That depends.” I jerked my head to where Mason was resting on his chest. “Are you going to let me hold him?”

Chase looked at Mason as if he needed a minute to think about it. He took a lot longer than he needed to before he replied. “I will. As soon as the little guy wakes up.”

Emily and I rolled our eyes at the same time. Chase laughed, knowing he was busted. “What? He’s sleeping.”

Emily took my hand and smiled. “It’s so good to see you.”

I walked over to my fridge and looked inside doing an inspection of my inventory. “Can I get you guys something to drink?”

The almost-empty fridge was a reminder that I needed to make a grocery run soon. Aside from a door full of various condiments that barely got used and a mixed selection of bottled beer, there was nothing else but a few bottled waters.

Looking at their lack of options, they both replied, “Water’s good.”

I grabbed a couple bottles of water, and we all made our way out onto the back deck.

“Great view,” Chase said, slowly settling into a lounge chair, trying not to wake Mason.

It was a great view, though not nearly as great as his. Their house was huge and looked like something you see on the cover of Southern Living. My house was a tiny shack compared to their 7,000 square foot mansion in West Palm Beach. However, this was the perfect size for a single guy like me who just needed a place to escape to every now and them.

I leaned against the railing and folded my arms across my chest. “Thanks. So, what brings you guys to the Carolinas?”

Emily took a sip of her water then set it down on the patio table. “It’s your birthday. We didn’t want you to spend it alone.”

I crossed my legs at the ankles, keeping my arms flexed across my chest. “So you traveled 700 miles just to keep me company on my birthday?”

“Yep,” she smiled, pulling on her ponytail.

I tilted my head to the side and looked her over. “Where were you for my last five birthdays? Are you sure it has nothing to do with Chloe? Perhaps you were hoping to meet her? Maybe make sure that she’s good enough for me.”

She looked guilty as hell, and it was obvious that she had talked to Cassie.

She shrugged her shoulder and looked away from me. “Believe it or not, I missed you and wanted to see you. However, meeting Chloe would be nice too.”

Emily and I have always been very protective of each other. It took a while for me to warm up to Chase; I hoped it wouldn’t take that long for her to see that Chloe was the real deal. “Well, in that case, I’m glad you’re here.” I jerked my head over to Chase and Mason. “All of you.”

For the next hour, the three of us sat around and shot the shit. I was surprised when Chase finally handed over a sleeping Mason for me to hold.

One look at the kid and you knew who his daddy was. A trait Chase was damn proud of. I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my chest. For the first time in my life, I wanted this. I could easily picture a future with Chloe and Tanner, and hopefully, a baby of our own someday.

My phone pinged in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen and read the message.

“Chloe’s on her way,” I said, kissing the top of Mason’s head and running my hand along his dark hair. Holding him felt natural, and addicting. I could easily get attached.

“Will Tanner be with her?” Emily asked.

“He will be later.”

“Everyone kept gushing about what a great kid he is and about how much fun they had with you and Chloe in New York.” Emily’s eyes filled with a mix of questions and curiosity. “You’ve been dating her for a few months now, and you look happier than I’ve ever seen you. She must be pretty special.”

“She is,” I replied, without hesitation.

She leaned her head to the side with her eyes blinking in surprise. “You love her.”

It was a statement, not a question.

“I do,” I answered, not even having to think about it.

“And what about Tanner?”

“They’re a package deal, and like I said earlier, he’s a great kid.”

She raked her hands through her ponytail, tugging at the ends. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. This is your first relationship and taking on a kid is a huge responsibility. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“Emily!” Chase scolded and walked over to take his son from my arms. He looked at his wife, giving her a stern look. “Butt out.”

If this were anyone other than Emily, I would have shown them to the door, but I knew where she was coming from. She was only looking out for me.

“I’m already all in, Emily. It’s too late to back out now.” I raked my hand through my hair that was blowing in the wind. I needed another damn haircut. “I may not have anything to compare this relationship to, but I know that a woman like her only comes around once in a lifetime. And I’m man enough to admit it. I know enough to realize that she and Tanner are worth holding onto. This is as serious as it gets for me.”

Emily’s hand flew to her mouth. Tears formed in her big green eyes. “Wow. I’m at a loss for words.”

Chase shifted forward in his chair. “No more explanation needed, man. I get it. When you know, you know.” He shared a quick glance with his wife, and then stood up. “If Mason is going to meet Chloe for the first time, I may need to get him a fresh set of diapers. I wouldn’t want my son making a bad first impression by smelling like shit.”

I laughed. “Ahh, the life of a baby—eat, sleep, and shit without a care in the world.”

Chase laughed. “I’ll take this little guy to the store with me so you two can catch up.” He leaned in, giving Emily a slow, wet kiss on the mouth. He stopped and spun around when he was almost out the door. “Can I get anything while I’m out?”

“Actually, I’m running a little low on booze and just about everything else.” I reached in my back pocket to pull out my wallet.

Chase held his hand out to stop me. “Don’t even think about it. I got it.”

I stuffed my wallet back in my jeans. “Thanks, brother, the generosity is much appreciated.

He just nodded his head, shot his wife a wink and then walked out of the house, leaving Emily and me alone.